Rising light heavyweight prospect Zhang Mingyang is set to headline a major UFC event for the first time.
UFC CEO Dana White announced on Wednesday that the promotion will make its return to Shanghai, China, on August 23, 2024. The event will take place at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium and feature a light heavyweight showdown between local favorite Zhang Mingyang and Johnny Walker in the main event.
Known by the nickname “The Mountain Tiger,” Zhang burst onto the UFC scene last year and has quickly made an impact, securing three consecutive first-round knockout victories. His dominant performances have earned him performance bonuses for each fight. Most recently, he stopped veteran fighter Anthony Smith in April at UFC Kansas City, which was Smith`s announced retirement bout.
Conversely, Johnny Walker is looking to rebound from a two-fight losing skid, having suffered stoppage losses in both of his outings in 2024. He was originally scheduled to fight Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 316 but was forced to withdraw from the contest due to injury.
In the co-main event slot, former UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling will face off against former two-time featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega in a featherweight clash. This will be Sterling`s second appearance in the featherweight division; he is coming off a unanimous decision defeat to Movsar Evloev at UFC 310. Ortega is also seeking to return to the win column after dropping a unanimous decision to Diego Lopes at UFC 306.
